DHAKA, Aug 11, 2026 (V7N) - BNP Senior Joint Secretary General and Prime Minister's Political Adviser Advocate Ruhul Kabir Rizvi today said development activities are hampered and confusion is created among people if accurate information is not presented.
He made the remarks as chief guest at an event on the second day of the national conference on setting a five-year strategic framework for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The conference was organised at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in the capital this afternoon.
Rizvi said emphasis should now be given to implementing development goals at the local level and effectively enforcing related policies.
Alongside the use, reuse and processing of data, ensuring accuracy of information is also important, he said. If actual information is not disclosed, the main objective of development is undermined, he added.
"I think there have been shortcomings in our values at times. For political interests and personal interests, attempts have been made to show growth and inflation as lower, while trying to show some things as higher. This is not appropriate. If these data are presented correctly, if the right things can be shown, then I believe the sustainable development that we are talking about will be achieved properly," he said.
He said a strong values-based framework can be developed if every piece of data is presented properly and analysed accordingly to determine what needs to be done. This will make development more sustainable, he added.
The Prime Minister's Political Adviser said many of the commitments made by the present government to the people are aligned with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
These include ensuring primary healthcare for all, skills- and knowledge-based education, developing sports as a profession, excavating canals, tree plantation, allowances for religious leaders, free internet and introducing a third language in educational institutions, among various initiatives related to different SDG targets.
Rizvi particularly emphasized SDG Goal 16 - peace, justice and strong institutions. No development can be sustainable without peace, stability, accountability and justice, he said.
Increased democratic practices in the state and society lead to greater accountability, he said. Once accountability is ensured, it becomes possible to establish peace and ensure justice in society, he added.
Rizvi said democracy has an excellent relationship with justice. If justice is not ensured, sustainable development can never be achieved, he said. This is because various inconsistencies and different forms of corruption exist at different stages of development, he added.
"If we want to see a corruption-free state, there must be a scope for accountability. The concept of justice is deeply rooted in Bangladesh's society and culture. Those responsible for running the state have a very important role in establishing justice," he continued.
He said Bangladesh could have progressed further if democratic practices had continued uninterrupted since independence. Despite various adversities, Bangladesh has progressed, he said, adding that food production has increased and development has taken place in various sectors.
He said an integrated and effective administrative system must be developed to achieve the SDGs, with coordination among politicians, policymakers and the administration.
Achieving various SDG goals, including women's empowerment and addressing climate change, would not be difficult for Bangladesh if all concerned work in a coordinated manner, he said.
